


Ready

by VariableMammal



Category: Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types
Genre: Ethical Dilemmas, Gen, Mid-Canon, One Shot, Three Laws of Robotics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-09
Updated: 2017-03-09
Packaged: 2018-10-01 12:37:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10190045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VariableMammal/pseuds/VariableMammal
Summary: After a duel with Bass, Mega Man is forced to confront a troubling thought about the nature of his ethics.





	

    Mega Man ran down the street as fast as his legs would carry him. Looking over his shoulder, he let out a yelp as he saw Bass flying towards him with a manic grin. Mega Man dove and hit the asphalt.   
  
    Bass laughed and twirled around in midair as he came within inches of Mega Man's body. Orienting himself in midair with the jets of the Treble Boost, Bass leveled his buster in Mega Man's direction and fired a sickly purple and green beam from it. Mega Man rolled to the side to avoid it, but grimaced as he heard an explosion behind him; the beam had damaged a building in the distance.  
  
    "Bass, be careful! Keep this between us!" Mega Man shouted. "You could break the First Law!"  
  
    Bass cackled scornfully. "I can't break the First Law if I don't  _knowingly_ harm a human!"  
  
    Mega Man scowled and fired his buster several times into the air. The small, yellow pellets of energy were easily avoided by Bass' movements; he used his adapter's jets to skirt left and right around the shots. Bass returned fire with tri-directional bursts from his own buster, which Mega Man focused his efforts on avoiding.  
  
    "Just hold still and let me shoot you!" Bass' deranged smile reflected the lust for violence in his voice. Mega Man attempted to charge his buster, but he let out a sound of frustration when he found he couldn't. He momentarily forgot that the function had been recently removed.  
  
    "Rush!" Mega Man yelled. Separating the two robots, a red-and-white spear of light shot down between them, materializing into Mega Man's faithful dog companion. Mega Man jumped onto Rush's back and with a bark, Rush's coil function activated, carrying the blue-and-cyan robot higher into the air. Bass was taken aback momentarily by Mega Man actually moving toward him, and-  
  
    With a shout, Mega Man fired three buster shots precisely; one placed on each of Bass' wings, and one into the energy crystal on Bass' helmet right above his eyes.   
  
    "Guh!" Bass began to fall backwards, and attempting to right himself in midair, he faltered forwards and landed onto the sidewalk with a heavy crash, howling in pain. Mega Man landed on one knee a few paces away from him with a solid clunk.  
  
    Treble was forced to disengage from his master, both of their forms sparking. Bass attempted to get back onto his feet, but he failed and spat a terse sound of anguish. Treble growled at Mega Man, with Rush growling right back at him.  
  
    "Get out of here, Treble!" Bass shouted furiously. Treble took one pace backwards, and with a final warning bark at Mega Man, the wolf robot teleported away. Mega Man nodded at Rush and his dog too teleported away.  
  
    Mega Man kept his buster leveled on Bass as the latter tried to fumble to his feet. Bass seemed badly damaged; his black and gold chassis sparking from its shoulders. Bass formed a buster in one arm and aimed it at Mega Man.  
  
    "You shouldn't try to shoot, your energy is very low," Mega Man's eyes narrowed.  
  
    "Don't patronize me!" Bass yelled in fury. "Rgh! Unbelievable!" Bass pounded the sidewalk with his fist once, then twice more. "How can I not beat you? How could I not even _hit you_!?"  
  
    Mega Man didn't respond, keeping his buster trained on the furious robot. Mega Man's expression was even, but he felt a degree of pity for the robot built only to fight him.  
  
    "I saw the report on the news," Bass managed a dark smirk. "Your old man caved to pressure from the government and removed your charge shot function. What a fool! Humans are so weak that they're afraid of anything resembling power!"  
  
    "I don't need the charge shot to defeat you," Mega Man said evenly.  
  
    Bass let out an even louder cry of anger and fury, slamming the ground with both fists and struggling to his feet. His cry pinched off into one of pain as he staggered, a shower of sparks emitting from his shoulder. He gripped at that shoulder and let out a gurgle of pain.  
  
    "Why did the old fool program me to feel pain...?" Bass grunted.  
  
    "Pain lets us know when something is wrong," Mega Man said resolutely. "You're definitely in the wrong."  
  
    "Oh _shut up_!" Bass tried to step forward, but staggered again and just barely stopped himself from toppling over. "The most irritating thing about losing to you is hearing you spout all that self-righteous _drivel_!"  
  
    "I don't see why we have to fight," Mega Man shook his head, though he kept his buster leveled at Bass, "there's more to this world than just who's the strongest."  
  
    "Light programmed you to be a naive infant!" Bass curled his fingers in fury. "Of  _course_ we have to fight! Are you so 'noble' that you'd forgive what I did to you so easily!?"  
  
    "What do you mean?" Mega Man replied cautiously.  
  
    "The betrayal," Bass responded, "you know! The one where I pretended to be injured and had Light patch me up. Only to trash his lab and steal that adapter I use... c'mon, you remember!" Mega Man had a blank look on his face, and Bass' jaw dropped and his eyes shrank. Then he began to laugh, scornfully at first, then it turned into wild, manic laughter. "Do you seriously not remember!?"  
  
    "I don't know what you're talking about," Mega Man said, his eyes squinting.  
  
    Bass threw his head back into another fit of laughter as he seemed to have an epiphany. "Of course, that's right! Because you almost took the old fool's life!"  
  
    "I...!?" Mega Man could barely respond. "You're talking a bunch of nonsense, Bass. I think you hit the ground a bit too hard."  
  
    Another sharp peal of laughter came from the black robot. "I see! I see what's going on here! You got reprogrammed! Of course! It only makes perfect sense! You almost broke the First Law, and Light had to stop it!" Bass' laughter turned to a wild, devious smile. "That's why I will destroy you one day, Mega Man. Because the 'good' side is weak. You had your chance to stop this endless conflict, and you didn't take it. Now, not even Light will let that happen again! It's delicious!"  
  
    Mega Man's face spoke utter shock. He flinched as he heard the familiar parabolic whine of Doctor Wily's flying saucer approach the two robots.  
  
    "Bass, you idiot!" Wily's voice came from a loudspeaker. "Get back here! You're about to fall apart!"  
  
    With a sneer, Bass complied, teleporting away. Mega Man held up his buster in the direction of the saucer, but the hatch on top of the saucer opened. Wily himself showed his face, and read the expression on Mega Man's own face warily. The blue robot's face spoke confusion, fear, and a touch of anger. This took Wily aback, especially because Mega Man's buster seemed to raise higher on the saucer.  
  
    "Doctor Wily," Mega Man said automatically. He searched his memory banks, but couldn't remember anything resembling threatening the scientist's life. Mega Man lowered his buster with a resigned frown; he knew his ethics wouldn't allow him to fire on Wily's saucer if there was a possibility of hitting the old man. Wily grew a broad smirk as he saw Mega Man disarm and wiggled his eyebrows, then slammed the hatch on his saucer and flew away.  
  
    Mega Man looked forlorn as he watched Wily get away, no doubt to terrorize the city some time in the future. The blue robot had some thinking to do.  
  


* * *

  
    Forgoing using his dog Rush to return home, Mega Man hitched a ride on top of a bullet train, as he often did when he felt pensive. Had Bass been fabricating that story he told Mega Man? Mega Man didn't know Bass for his duplicity, so the story seemed strange. He'd only ever known Bass as a rival. Mega Man looked out to the city whizzing by, the city he fought so hard to protect. He decided he wanted to see more of it.  
  
    Leaping off the train, he noticed a skyscraper off in the distance and rode Rush in his jet form up to the top. He pat Rush on the head, though his face looked past the robot dog. Rush could tell something was amiss with Mega Man and whined at him. Mega Man shook his head and Rush took that as an invitation to beam away again. Mega Man remained standing on top of the building for several minutes, surveying everything he could. In the far distance, he could see the building Bass damaged, and this made him frown. He hoped there were no casualties.  
  
    After a few more minutes, Mega Man heard a familiar whistle that signaled his brother's presence. Instead of turning around immediately, Mega Man let his brother finish the whistle. Mega Man heard Proto Man's feet touch down behind him, and he barely turned his head to look at his brother.  
  
    "You seem lost in thought, Rock," Proto Man greeted. His yellow scarf was caught in the wind just right so it fluttered. The red-and-gray robot had an expression that mirrored Mega Man's; in fact, with their helmets off, their faces looked nearly identical.  
  
    "Hello, Blues," Mega Man returned. He turned his head away from Proto Man and looked out over the vista of the city. "I fought Bass today."  
  
    "And not a scratch on you," Proto Man noted with a smirk. "Bass is such a chump."  
  
    "He fires where he wants me to be, not where I  _can_ be," Mega Man nodded. "He lets his anger control him. He would probably be very dangerous if he thought about what he was doing before he did it."  
  
    "Lucky for you he's not all that smart, then," Proto Man's smirk grew wider.  
  
    "He... told me something troubling," Mega Man turned fully to face Proto Man. "He told me something about how he deceived me."  
  
    Proto Man's smirk vanished.   
  
    "I've never  _known_ Bass to be a liar," Mega Man frowned.  
  
    Proto Man's mouth opened very slightly, then he closed it again. "Are you asking me something, brother?"  
  
    "...Has Doctor Light reprogrammed me?" Mega Man asked quietly.  
  
    Proto Man turned his head away and let silence fall for a few moments. He turned his head back. "What if I told you he had?"  
  
    "I... suppose I'd wonder why..." Mega Man's eyes half-lidded in sadness. "When did it happen?"  
  
    "DWN-049 through DWN-056," Proto Man muttered. "Do you remember them?"  
  
    "Sure, Mega Man nodded, "that's Freeze Man through Turbo Man. I remember fighting them, and I remember fighting Doctor Wily after. It was a difficult fight, as I recall. His capsule was particularly dangerous that time."  
  
    "What happened after you defeated Wily?" Proto Man folded his arms.  
  
    "He just... kind of..." Mega Man thought. "He activated the self-destruct on his castle, and I left. The usual."  
  
    Proto Man shook his head. "That's not what you told me after it happened. You said you threatened to shoot Wily with a fully-charged shot. Said it would end all of this."  
  
    "Did I...?" Mega Man looked terrified, holding an arm near his chest. "That... doesn't sound like me."  
  
    "Something changed," Proto Man shook his head. "You and Doctor Light took in Bass, who claimed to be damaged. He trashed the lab and endangered everyone there."  
  
    "I wanted... revenge...?" Mega Man looked very troubled.  
  
    "Never had you come so close to losing what matters most to you; your family," Proto Man looked away briefly. "You couldn't let a deceit like that happen again. It got too personal."   
  
    "I almost broke the First Law..." Mega Man said vacantly.  
  
    "Yes, so Doctor Light appears to have altered your memories of the events as if the betrayal did not happen," Proto Man speculated. "So it's back to the happy-go-lucky brother I have."  
  
    Mega Man frowned.  
  
    "I _said_ happy-go-lucky," Proto Man said with a tiny smirk, but then it slowly matched Mega Man's frown. He walked over and placed a hand on Mega Man's shoulder. "Brother, do you trust Doctor Light?"  
  
    Mega Man thought very hard about this before responding. "...I do. I guess he must have done what he did to uphold the law."  
  
    "Mm," Proto Man nodded. "Do you know why I won't go back to him?"  
  
    "Because you  _don't_ trust him?" Mega Man replied. "Even though your faulty nuclear power core could-"  
  
    Proto Man shook his head, then squeezed Mega Man's shoulder, releasing him. "Rock, listen. No one's perfect. That includes robots."  
  
    "But Doctor Light can fix you," Mega Man frowned. "There's no reason to use that core when Doctor Light could fix you up with a solar power core like mine."  
  
    "Consider it why I don't help you more often," Proto Man smirked. "If I took a solid enough hit, I could vaporize a huge portion of the city we're trying to protect." Proto Man chuckled. "Can you imagine if I did go under and let Doctor Light do whatever he wished? There'd probably be another Mega Man running the streets. Hopelessly optimistic."  
  
    "You really think Doctor Light would do that to you...?" Mega Man frowned.  
  
    "I don't want to take the risk of losing what I am," Proto Man shook his head. "Even if that someone is flawed. A perfect sword cannot be wrought from a dented mold, and we are always going to be imperfect creations of humans." Proto Man managed a smile. "However, you are my brother. I keep a watch over you to keep Doctor Light honest. You are the city's hope for everlasting peace. And in that respect... I think Doctor Light actually did what he _had_ to regarding your memories."  
  
    Mega Man nodded with a small smile, but then it faltered. "But if Doctor Wily was gone..."  
  
    "Rock, I think you need to talk to our father," Proto Man shook his head. "He can probably explain his actions better than I."  
  
    "Won't he just reprogram me again so I stop thinking about this?" Mega Man gave a defeated smile.  
  
    "Perhaps, but like I said," Proto Man brought one of his hands into a fist. "You are my brother. If something changes to where I feel as though you aren't, I will have some serious questions to ask Doctor Light."  
  
    "Blues..." Mega Man gave a soft smile. "It's been good to see you."  
  
    "And I will see you again before long," Proto Man saluted. "Farewell." Proto Man teleported away.  
  
    Mega Man looked out over the city. He did want go go home, and be done with all of this.  
  


* * *

  
    Mega Man walked the last few steps to Doctor Light's cozy rural home-slash-laboratory. The blue robot's expression lightened when he saw Hornet Man in the garden, watering flowers.  
  
    "Howdy, Rock!" Hornet Man held up a hand in greeting.  
  
    "Hello, Hornet Man," Mega Man smiled. He managed to absorb the simple work Hornet Man was doing and it brought Mega Man some measure of joy. Mega Man thought that all creatures should live in harmony. Plant, robot, animal, and human alike. Doctor Light shared these views, to Mega Man's best knowledge.  
  
    Mega Man hesitated before opening the door, but decided to just get on with it.  
  
    "Mega Man!" Roll, his sister, greeted him immediately with a large smile. The blonde robot approached swiftly and briefly hugged her brother. "You're finally back! Are you okay?"  
  
    "I'm untouched, Roll," Mega Man smiled, holding his sister's arms in his for a moment before letting her go. "Bass couldn't hit the broad side of a barn."  
  
    "Unless you painted a sign of Mega Man on it," Auto, Doctor Light's green helper robot, quipped from across the room.  
  
    "Are you truly unharmed?" Doctor Thomas Light entered the room and looked over Mega Man. "Are you sure? Would you like an Energy Tank just to top off?"  
  
    "I've taken no damage, Doctor Light," Mega Man smiled, shaking his head. His expression began to melt. "Although... could we talk, Doctor Light?"  
  
    "Certainly," Doctor Light nodded. "What about?"  
  
    "Alone?" Mega Man clarified. This made Roll tilt her head in curiosity.  
  
    "O-of course," Doctor light nodded again, harder, and beckoned Mega Man to enter his lab. Mega Man followed him, and with a quick clink, beamed out of his "Mega Man" chassis and was just "Rock" again.  
  
    Doctor Light looked at the door to his lab, and made sure there were no other robots around to hear the two. "What's troubling you, my boy?"  
  
    "Bass was mocking me about the time he deceived us," Mega Man replied. Doctor Light paused, a grave look coming over his face.  
  
    "Oh dear," Doctor Light frowned. "I had- I had hoped that wouldn't come up again..."  
  
    "Did you reprogram me, Doctor Light?" Mega Man asked cautiously.  
  
    Doctor Light appeared to be physically struck by those words. He grimaced and walked over to the operating table in the room, running his hands along it.  
  
    "I did," Doctor Light said finally. "No- no that's not entirely accurate. I altered your memories of Bass' betrayal and your subsequent actions."  
      
    "Because I almost killed Doctor Wily?" Mega Man pursued.  
  
    "Yes," Doctor Light nodded, staring at the operating table.   
  
    "I understand that you can't let me break the First Law," Mega Man said with a conciliatory tone to his voice.  
  
    "It's not that, Rock," Doctor Light shook his head and gave a shuddering sigh, seemingly on the verge of tears. "I felt as though I must alter your memories of that event to protect _you_."  
  
    "Me?" Mega Man echoed, placing his hand on his chest.  
  
    "It is terrible of me to admit this," Doctor Light sighed, "but I have considered what it would be like if Albert were no longer with us. The old fool... he believes robots need to be uplifted to control us; save us from ourselves. I... you know I believe in an amicable relationship between all kinds of lives."  
  
    "So... are you going to need to reprogram me again?" Mega Man asked quietly.  
  
    Doctor Light shook his head vehemently. "No. I don't want to have this conversation with you again sometime down the road. You deserve to know. The betrayal, it  _changed_ you."  
  
    "How so?" Mega Man asked.  
  
    "You became grimmer, more like your brother," Doctor Light rubbed his large, bushy white beard as he recollected. "After Bass got away, you swore to have him in pieces at your feet. You swore you would never let another human or robot betray your trust. You lost... some of what made you _you_ , my boy. Your joy. Your hope. Your optimism." Doctor Light's voice hitched. "I worried that if presented the opportunity again, you might indeed take Albert's life. Then... well... it would all be over."  
  
    "But... then we'd have peace, wouldn't we?" Mega Man asked, somewhat lost.  
  
    "No, no," Doctor Light shook his head again. He held a finger up briefly. "Humans- _humans_ would have peace. The only man whose intelligence can create such destructive robots would be no more. But there would be no peace for _robots_. After it was discovered that a robot willingly broke the First Law... well, there would be trouble. There would be trials, maybe even inquisitions. Robots would be deactivated. I would be forced to become an outlaw... because I wouldn't be able to just abandon my life's work like that."  
  
    "Doctor Light..." Mega Man said wistfully.  
  
    "So, I made the choice to remove your memory of that incident," Doctor Light said glumly. "I wanted my Mega Man back. The Rock that  _chose_ to become Mega Man to fight for the world's peace. Do you know how proud I was of you in that moment?" Doctor Light smiled. "I built all of my robots with the capacity to grow, to evolve beyond their programming. To develop compassion and self-determination."  
  
    "Are you saying then that... I  _could_ have killed Wily?" Mega Man's eyes became larger.  
  
    "Indeed so," Doctor Light nodded. "The power to make such a choice... to end one life to save who knows how many others... that is a sacred choice, a calculation that must be weighed with the utmost gravitas. But... I believe that you could make it, and make the right choice."  
  
    "...So, what now, then?" Mega Man cocked his head.  
  
    "It's the rest of the world," Doctor Light frowned in sadness. " _They_ aren't ready. They aren't ready for robots who can think and feel. Robots that understand the concept of family and compassion for life. Robots that can sacrifice themselves, or others, for the greater good."  
  
    Doctor Light pointed to a newspaper page pinned to a cork board, one that had an article circled with several words highlighted. It read: "THE ROBOT EXPIRATION LAW PASSES". There was another article: "PRESSURE ON ROBOTICISTS TO CONFORM". And another: "GRANDFATHER CLAUSE PROTECTS OLD ROBOTS; LAWMAKERS REACT".  
  
    "The robot expiration law," Mega Man frowned.  
  
    "A short-sighted measure borne out of fear and knee-jerk reactions. It even affects some of my numbers," Doctor Light grumbled. "I would ask you to help me, Mega Man. We need to fight, not only against Doctor Wily, but against the fear and ignorance that plagues the population at large."  
  
    "Isn't some of that Doctor Wily's fault?" Mega Man smirked.  
  
    "Oh, a lot of it," Doctor Light rolled his eyes. "If he'd stop building octets of themed destructive robots for one year, maybe we could get a dialogue going."  
  
    Mega Man smiled; he was starting to feel better. Doctor Light walked over and patted him on his back.  
  
    "As it is, the way we fight ignorance is with words," the Doctor smiled. "Tomorrow, Doctor Cossack is organizing a peaceful protest in the heart of the city, against this expiration nonsense. I'd like you, Roll, Rush, Auto, and Eddie to be there, at the very least."  
  
    "Oh, can't we get your new numbers too?" Mega Man looked excited, balling his hands into fists. "Galaxy Man, Splash Woman-"  
  
    "I'm afraid that wouldn't be wise, Rock," Doctor Light looked to the floor. "They're under the law, so it would seem to be a conflict of interest."  
  
    "Um, how about your older numbers, then?" Mega Man blinked. "Guts Man, Cut Man-"  
  
    "Have been reprogrammed by Doctor Wily before," Doctor Light frowned. "We need to show them robots they can trust."  
  
    "But I trust them!" Mega Man grit his teeth.  
  
    "Albert used to tell me something, Rock," Doctor Light smirked. "There are two things that are infinite. The universe and human stupidity, and he wasn't so sure about the universe."  
  
    "Doctor Wily said that?" Mega Man chuckled. "Ironic."  
  
    "Isn't it, though?" Doctor Light laughed. "Now, would you consider joining the protest tomorrow?"  
  
    "Of course, Doctor Light," Mega Man smiled. "I'm ready to fight for peace for all of us. For as long as I can."


End file.
